"Karwaan" producer Priti Rathi Gupta says ailing actor Irrfan Khan, despite his condition, is quite actively promoting the film on social media and that his loyal fans are waiting for the movie to be released.
Irrfan, who is undergoing treatment in London for a neuroendocrine tumour, is unable to be physically present to participate in the promotion of the film.
"Irrfan is very much actively supporting and promoting the film. I know he is going through a journey and we are missing him around, we are missing his physical presence. But in the digital era, we all can be involved in things on social media. That is exactly what he is doing by promoting the film on social media. So I do not think his absence from the promotional activity will affect the film in anyway," Gupta told IANS.
Irrfan is not only a known name in the Bollywood world, but also in the international film circuit for having worked in films like "The Namesake", "A Mighty Heart", "Slumdog Millionaire", "The Amazing Spider-Man" and "Life of Pi".
"I know for a fact that he has his loyal fans across the world and everyone is looking forward to watching the film. We were more than glad to know that he agreed to do the film in the beginning. He has done a fantastic job as always," Gupta added.
The producer, who also backed the film "Waiting" with her banner Ishka Films alongside Drishyam Films, said she nurtured the idea of making "Karwaan" for a long time because the story is "so fabulous".
"I loved the story and decided to give it a life. After dealing with a few obstacles, production houses started pursuing the script and Ronnie Screwvala's production house RSVP was among them. I always wanted to partner with him because he is an institution by himself and being a newcomer, I wanted a learning experience from him," she said.
Then, why did she not make "Karwaan" her debut film as a producer?
"Yes, this could have been my first film as a producer but when I was facing difficulties, the film 'Waiting' came on my way. It was the same time I lost my mother, so I thought making that film at that point in time could be cathartic for me. So I just kept this story ('Karwaan') in the back knowing that very soon I will start working on it. Now, we are here," she said.
Directed by Akarsh Khurana, "Karwaan" is releasing on August 3. It revolves around three oddballs from different walks of life who are thrown together on a somewhat bizarre journey which helps them find normalcy in their lives.